Project to affect 16th St. NW

A National Park Service project to repair the 35-foot wall alongside Meridian Hill Park will partially close a heavily used portion of 16th Street NW starting next week, the park service says.

The travel lanes will shift, parking on the southbound side across from the 600-foot-long work zone will be eliminated and the sidewalk on the east side of 16th Street, near the park, will be closed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Repairs on the 96-year-old wall are scheduled to take about three months.

While four traffic lanes will remain open at all times, these temporary measures are likely to slow car and bus commuting on this important north-south route.

The work to stabilize the park wall doesn't involve the sidewalk or the street, but the park service says a safety zone near the wall is necessary. So pedestrians will be directed to cross over to the west side at W and Euclid streets during those work hours, and drivers also will be moved to the west, away from the wall.

Travelers will encounter traffic cones and other barriers, temporary signs and message boards. The work area on the northbound lane of 16th Street will have traffic barriers with fencing on top. The sidewalk, closed during the work hours, will be open after hours and all weekend.